Biography

Kansans first elected Jerry Moran to the United States Senate in 2010. Since joining the U.S. Senate, Senator Moran has been a leading advocate for protecting and preserving the special way of life in Kansas.

Senator Moran has a long history of opposing reckless spending in Washington, and as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee has pushed for spending cuts, tougher funding standards and broad reform. Senator Moran serves as chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, which allows him to lead the funding decisions that impact men and women working at agencies like the Department of Justice, the FBI, the United States Trade Representative and the Department of Commerce, to name a few. This wide committee jurisdiction allows Senator Moran to advocate for priorities important to Kansans in many different contexts.

As a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, Senator Moran prioritizes Department of Defense investments in infrastructure at home and abroad, the quality of life for military families and improving the Department of Veterans Affairs to better serve our nation’s heroes. This membership rounds out Senator Moran’s focus on national security and complements his membership on the Appropriations subcommittees on Defense.

As a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Senator Moran advocates on behalf of Kansans regarding a number of issues vital to the state’s economy, ranging from communications and product safety to highways, aviation and railways. As chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance and Data Security, Senator Moran continues his strong advocacy for data security, consumer protections and the empowerment of our Olympic and amateur athletes.

Senator Moran understands that overregulation is among the greatest threat to the economy in rural America, and his roles on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies position him well to advocate for family farmers and ranchers and work to eliminate burdensome regulations that threaten the future of rural America. The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works maintains jurisdiction over a wide variety of federal policies concerning environment, energy, wildlife, and infrastructure issues, which directly impact the day-to-day functions of our farmers, small businesses, and families in Kansas.

Senator Moran also works to improve the quality of life for the nearly 200,000 veterans living in Kansas as a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. He continues fighting to make certain our nation’s heroes receive the quality healthcare and benefits they have earned in a timely fashion.

Since joining the U.S. Senate, Senator Moran has also been a leading advocate for issues related to entrepreneurship, job creation and innovation. He is committed to putting policies in place that foster a pro-growth environment where businesses can succeed without government imposed barriers.

Senator Moran serves as a member of a number of caucuses that enhance his ability to represent Kansans' interests in the United States Senate. His focus on protecting rural Kansans and their communities led him to co-found the Senate Community Pharmacy Caucus, the Senate Economic Mobility Caucus and the Senate Hunger Caucus. He also serves as co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Down Syndrome, the Senate NIH Caucus, the Senate Aerospace Caucus and the Senate Defense Community Caucus.

During the 2014 election cycle, Senator Moran served as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). Under Senator Moran’s leadership, Republicans gained a net increase of nine seats – the largest Senate swing by any party since 1980 and the largest Senate gain in a midterm election since 1958, resulting in a Republican Senate majority.

Prior to his election to the Senate in November 2010, Moran served Kansans in the “Big First” Congressional district for seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as eight years in the Kansas State Senate – spending the last two years as Majority Leader. As a senior member of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, then-Congressman Moran worked with colleagues to craft legislation that allowed Kansas farms and ranches to remain viable in today’s competitive global marketplace, and participated in the implementation of two Farm Bills. Moran was also an active member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, as well as the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee where he served as chairman of the Health Subcommittee.

Senator Moran has made it his top priority to stay connected to the people he represents. Despite the distance of more than 1,000 miles between Washington, D.C., and Kansas, he returns home each weekend to meet with Kansans. The conversations he has with Kansans during his travels around the state greatly impact the work he does in Washington.

While at home in Kansas, he volunteers his time at several community organizations. He serves on the board of trustees of the Fort Hays State University Endowment Foundation, on the executive committee of the Coronado Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and is a former trustee of the Eisenhower Foundation. He is also an active Lions Club member, Rotary Club member, and Sons of The American Legion member. He attends the First Presbyterian Church of Manhattan.

Before his election to public office, Senator Moran attended Fort Hays State University and later the University of Kansas, where he completed a degree in economics. After an early career as a small town banker, he received his J.D. from the University of Kansas. Jerry and his wife Robba continue to live in Kansas. They have two daughters, Kelsey and Alex.